Holder for brush element or elements



May 4, 1954 w. 2. WEST, JR.. ETAL HOLDER FOR BRUSH ELEMENT OR ELEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1952 INVENTORS Willis z. Waste/1 rgamEGanzbZe B QW TTORNEY y 4, 1954 w. 2. WEST, JR., ET AL HOLDER FOR BRUSH ELEMENT OR ELEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1952 INVENTOR 7721111; 2. Wwgfi'. Abrg'mzFGanzbZe W ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1954 OFFICE HOLDER FOR BRUSH ELEMENT OR ELEMENTS Willis Z. West, J r., and Morgan F. Gamble, Winston-Salem, N. 0.

Application March 6, 1952, Serial No. 275,162

6 Claims.

Our invention relates to holders for brush ele-- ments of rotary switches or the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a holder of the above-mentioned character, of simplified construction and which is supported independently of a rotary switch in connection with which it is used.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder for brush elements which will render it easy to remove and replace the brush elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder including tortional coil springs to yieldingly press the brush elements into contact with coacting parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder which is strong, durable, compact and inexpensive to manufacture.

This application is a continuation in part of our co-pending application for Centrifugal Switch, Serial Number 123,880, filed October 2'7, 1949, now Patent No. 2,595,621.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a centrifugal switch having a brushholder embodying our invention connected therewith,

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the brush holder,

Figure 3 is a plan View of the brush holder and switch,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 55 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a second form of brush holder embodying our invention and the rotary switch,

Figure 7 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 6,

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken on line 8-9 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the brush holder,

Figure 11 is a side elevation of a brush holder embodying a third form of the invention,

Figure 12 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of the brush holder.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration are shown preferredembodiments of our invention, attention being called first to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the numeral [0 designates generally a centrifugal switch of the type disclosed in our co-pending application, Serial Number 123,880, filed October 2'7, 1949. The switch it includes a disc or carrier ll formed of electrical insulating material and having end extensions or shoulders I2, upon which are mounted annular brush plates or slip rings l3 and i4.

Freely slidably mounted between the inner and outer annular flanges l5 and [6 of the slip rings l3 and M, are fiat, thin plate brushes I'l, formed of carbon, metal or the like. These plate brushes may be circumferentially elongated and arcuate, as shown, and have their inner flat faces slidably contacting the outer faces of the slip rings I3 and M.

We have provided novel and simplified means for holding the plate brushes H in place. This means comprises an upstanding metal rod l8 to be connected at its lower end with a stationary part of the motor. The upper portion of this rod is screw threaded as shown at I9. Mounted upon the screw threaded portion [9 of the rod is an insulating sleeve 28, and insulating washers 2| and 22 are mounted upon the screw threaded portion I9 above and below the sleeve 20. The screw threaded portion l9 carries a lower nut 23 and an upper nut 24 and a lock nut 25. The washers 2! have notches 26 formed therein. The sleeve 29 has a flat 21 and carries an insulating washer 28.

Torsional coil springs 29 and 30 are mounted upon the sleeve 29 between the insulating washers 2| and 28, and are insulated from each other; corresponding outer ends of the coil springs are bent to provide radial extensions 3|, Figure 5, held within a longitudinal groove 32 formed in the sleeve 20. The inner ends of the springs 29 and 36 are continued in the form of resilient arms 33, having extensions 34, provided with ends 35, bent at right angles thereto. These ends 35 are inserted within openings 36 formed in the plate brushes ll. The springs 29 and 38 serve to hold the plate brushes ll in place and yieldingly press the same into engagement with the faces of the slip rings l3 and M. The springs are in electrical connection with the slip rings.

Metal strips or tabs 31 are inserted Within the outer ends of the springs 29 and 3D, and engage the flat 21, and are in electrical contact with the springs. The tabs 31 have lateral extensions 33, held within the notches 26, Figure 4. The outer ends of these lateral extensions are bent into loops 39, as shown. Insulated wires 40 are permanently electrically connected with the plate brushes l1 and the outer ends of these wires 40 are inserted within the loops 39. The ends of lead wires 4| are also inserted in these loops and the loops are pinched upon the wires to form a firm electrical engagement.

In use, the rod 8 is substantially vertically arranged and is supported in position by a bolt or the like passing through an eye I8 and secured to a fixed support separate from the centrifugal switch. The arms 34 hold the plate brushes ill in place in contact with the slip rings [3 and M, in conjunction with the flanges l5 and I6 and the tortional coil springs 29 and 30 retain the plate brushes IT in firm contact with the slip rings. The holder is mounted independently of the rotary switch, and dispenses with numerous elements ordinarily used to retain the brushes in place, when used in connection with the rotary switch including a rotary housing and rotary element therein. The plate brushes 5? are uncovered and readily accessible and the construction is such that they may be easily removed and replaced. All parts of the holder may be readily assembled.

In Figures 6 to inclusive, we have shown a second modification of the invention. The same oentriiugally operated switch It is used, having the slip rings [3 and I4 coacting with the plate brushes I"! which may be formed of carbon, metal or the like.

The brush holder comprises a stiiif rod or wire iii, provided at its lower end with an eye 43 for attachment to a stationary part of the motor separate from the switch. Arranged at the upper end of the rod 42 is a cylindrical supporting member it, provided at its lower end with a longitudinal opening 55 to receive the rod. This supporting member is formed of insulating material and has a transverse opening 48 to receive a drop of solder ii to be anchored to the rod it. Other means may be employed to rigidly secure the insulating supporting member to the rod 42. ifhe insulating supporting member M is provided with upper and lower diametrically extending openings 43 and 49, as shown.

Mounted upon the supporting member 44 are tortional upper and lower coil springs 50 and 5!, so; rated by an insulating washer 52, mounted upon the supporting member 44. The outer ends of the springs 50 and 5| have radial extensions 53, which are anchored within recesses 55, as shown. The inner ends of the springs 59 and 5| are continued in the form of arms 55, bent to provide heads having transverse extensions 51 to em gage within openings 58 formed in the plate brushes ll.

upper lead wire 59 extends through the opening 38 and is thereby attached to the supporting member M, and the free end of this wire if stripped of insulating material and is electrically connected with the coil spring 59 by solder or the like, as indicated at '60. This point of attachment is near the extension 53. A lower lead wire iii extends through the opening 49 and is thereby attached to the insulating supporting member 24 and its free stripped end is electrically connected. with the coil spring 5| by solder 62.

It is thus seen that the springs 50 and 5| hold the plate brushes IT in firm sliding engagement with the slip rings, and that the current is supplied to the plate brushes through the springs 50 and 5|.

In Figures l1, l2 and 13, we have shown a third modification oi the invention, including a cylindrical insulating supporting member 63, having a longitudinal screw-threaded opening 64 at its lower end to receive the screw-threaded end of a vertical rod 65, carrying a lock nut 66. This rod is provided with an eye 61 for attachment with a stationary part of the motor separate fom the switch. The same springs 50 and 5| are mounted upon the supporting member '63, and have their upper and lower ends anchored to the supporting member by the extensions 53 engaging in the recesses 54 and the same insulating washer 52 is provided. The springs 50 and 5| have the same arms 55 and heads 56, carrying the pins 51, engaging with openings formed in the plate brushes ll.

In this form of the invention, the current is not supplied through the springs 50 and 5|, and we use metallic connector strips 68, bent to provide U-shaped ends 68 and Ill. The U-shaped ends 69 receive the heads 56 and are provided with openings ll to receive the pins 51. The heads 56 may be soldered to the U-shaped ends 69. Lead wires 12 extend into the U-shaped ends 10 and may be clamped therein or secured thereto by solder. The same switch It is used.

In use, the current passes through the connector strips 58 to the plate brushes ll and not through the springs 56 and 5|.

It is to be understood that the forms of our invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrange ment of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

aving thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A holder comprising a supporting element, an insulating sleeve mounted upon the supporting element and provided between its ends with an insulating flange, said sleeve having a fiat and. a groove formed upon its face, coil springs mounted upon the sleeve upon opposite sides of the flange and having corresponding ends bent to provide lateral extensions held within the groove, tabs arranged upon the fiat and disposed inwardly of the coil springs, means for connecting lead wires with the tabs, arms carried by opposite ends of the coil springs, and brush contacts carried by the arms, and wires connecting the tabs and brush contacts.

2. A holder comprising an insulating supporting member, a supporting element carrying the insulating supporting member, tortional coil springs carried by the insulating supporting member and insulated from each other and having corresponding ends anchored to the insulating supporting member, arms carried by the coil springs, the coil springs serving to conduct current, brush elements carried by the arms, and wires secured to the insulating supporting mem her and connected with the coil springs.

3. A holder comprising an insulating supporting member having openings formed therein, an element to support the insulating supporting member, tortional coil springs carried by the insulating supporting member and insulated from each other and having their ends anchored to the insulating supporting member, arms carried by the coil springs, the coil springs and arms serving to conduct current, brush elements carried by the arms, and wires held within said openings and electrically connected with the coil springs.

4. A holder comprising an insulating supporting member, an element supporting said member, tortional coil springs carried by the insulating supporting member and insulated from each other and having their ends anchored to the insulating supporting member, arms carried by the coil springs, brush elements carried. by the arms, and conductors electrically connected with said arms.

5. A holder comprising an insulating supporting member, an element to support said member, tortional coil springs carried by the insulating supporting member and insulated from each other and having ends anchored to the insulating supporting member, arms carried by the coil springs provided with transverse pins, brush elements having openings to receive the pins, electrical conductor strips provided with substantially U-shaped ends including sides having openings, said arms extending into the substantially U-shaped ends and the pins extending through the openings in the sides of such ends.

6. A switch device comprising, a rotary disc, slip rings mounted upon the opposite sides of the rotary disc and having annular flanges, a supporting element separate from the disc, a generally cylindrical insulating member mounted upon the supporting element and provided in its periphery with recess means, coil springs mounted upon said insulating member and provided at its ends with lateral extensions to enter the recess means, arms carried by the opposite ends of the coil springs and crossing each other and having laterally extending pins, and plate brushes engaging the slip rings and having openings to receive the pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 595,410 Priest Dec. 14, 1897 1,240,738 Lee Sept. 18, 1917 1,584,665 Shay May 11, 1926 2,309,316 Hollander Jan. 26, 1943 2,416,498 Ruddock Feb. 25, 1947 2,451,959 Knudsen Oct. 19, 1948 

